Machine Repair

What it is

Olly's repair shop is full of broken contraptions. Move a fulcrum so a small push lifts a heavy rock, hang blocks until a beam balances, choose fixed and movable pulleys within the rope you have, build gear trains that turn the right way at the right speed, and pick a ramp plank that is gentle enough but still fits through the door. Predict first, then test: an overlay shows the numbers behind each result. Machines follow a simplified model with no friction and weightless parts, and any setup that works is accepted.

What children learn

Simple machines and the force–distance trade-off: turning effect (weight × distance) on levers and balances; fixed pulleys change direction while movable pulleys share the load (pull = load ÷ strands, rope pulled = height × strands); meshing gears reverse direction and change speed by the tooth ratio, with compound axles multiplying ratios; ramps reduce the push (load × height ÷ length) at the cost of distance.

What it teaches

• Engineering design
• Forces and motion
• Simple machines